Wilburn v. St. Joseph Cnty. Juvenile Justice Ctr.
Wilburn v. St. Joseph Cnty. Juvenile Justice Ctr.
Opinion of the Court
There are two motions before the Court. On June 1, 2018, Plaintiffs, Tashianne Wilburn and Quanan Wilburn, the natural parents and guardians of Z.W., a minor child, filed a motion to strike Defendants' fourth and sixth affirmative defenses pursuant to Rule 12(f). On June 6, 2018, Plaintiffs filed a motion to strike Defendants' jury demand. On June 13, 2018, Defendants, Cynthia Nelson, in her official capacity as the Executive Director of the St. Joseph County Juvenile Justice Center ("JJC"), the Board of County Commissioners of St. Joseph County, and the St. Joseph County Council, filed their responses to both motions. Both motions are now ripe and for the reasons discussed below, the Court GRANTS the Wilburns' motion to strike affirmative defenses and Defendants' jury demand.
I. MOTION TO STRIKE AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES BASED ON IMMUNITY
A. Relevant Background
The Wilburns proceed against Defendants at the St. Joseph County Juvenile Justice Center ("JJC") seeking money damages for the solitary confinement of their minor child, Z.W., and declaratory and injunctive relief for all similarly situated juvenile detainees. [DE 12 at 2]. In response, the Defendants asserted inter alia the following affirmative defenses:
4. Judicial immunity applies to all allegations which are directed at the function of the St. Joseph Probate Court.
6. Certain allegations of the complaint violate the Eleventh Amendment of the United States.
[DE 19 at 30].
B. Standard
Rule 12(f) states that the court "may strike from a pleading an insufficient defense or any redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f). Rule 12(f) authorizes the court to strike a pleading or part of a pleading "on its own; or on motion made by a party either before responding to the pleading or, if a response is not allowed, within 21 days after being served with the pleading." The Wilburns' motion to strike is timely *739and the Court addresses the merits of the motion below.
Motions to strike are generally disfavored because they "potentially serve only to delay," Heller Fin., Inc. v. Midwhey Powder Co. ,
"Affirmative defenses will be stricken only when they are insufficient on the face of the pleadings."
C. Judicial Immunity Defense
The Wilburns argue that the defense of judicial immunity should be stricken because they are suing Defendants only in their official capacities. [DE 21 at 3]. The assertion that this is solely an official capacity suit is unopposed by the Defendants. "The only immunities available in an official capacity suit are those that may be asserted by the governmental entity itself (e.g. , Eleventh Amendment immunity or sovereign immunity)." DeVito v. Chicago Park Dist. ,
D. Eleventh Amendment Immunity
The Wilburns argue that the defense of Eleventh Amendment Immunity should be stricken because the Eleventh Amendment does not apply to actions against a county or political subdivision. [DE 21 at 4]. The Defendants do not contest this assertion concerning the Board of County Commissioners of St. Joseph County or the St. Joseph County Council, upon which multiple defendants sit. However, Defendants argue that Eleventh Amendment Immunity could potentially apply to Defendant Nelson in her official capacity as Executive Director of the JJC because they argue it is uncertain whether the Executive Director of the JJC is an employee of the St. Joseph County Probate Court or of St. Joseph County. [DE 24 at 4].
The Eleventh Amendment bars suits in federal courts against States and against officials acting as an arm of the state. See Mt. Healthy City School Dist. Bd. of Educ. v. Doyle ,
*740Klebanowski v. Sheahan ,
All Defendants are sued only in their official capacities [DE 19 at 3-4], and Defendants admit that they are all elected members of county government or employees of St. Joseph County [DE 19 at 4-5]. Yet Defendants argue a dispute exists as to whether Nelson, in her official capacity as the Executive Director of the JJC, is empowered by the county or the St. Joseph County Probate Court. [DE 24 at 4]. More specifically, the parties dispute whether the St. Joseph County Probate Court is an "arm of the state." The Defendants claim that whether Eleventh Amendment Immunity applies to Nelson depends on whether the county or the probate court empowers the JJC [DE 24 at 4]. Meanwhile, the Wilburns claim the JJC is not a state agency but refer parenthetically to the probate court as a state entity. [DE 26 at 9]. Defendants note that the probate court has the authority to appoint the staff of the JJC. [DE 24 at 2]; see also Ind. Code. § 31-31-8-3(c). However, in Burrus , the Lottery Commission of Indiana was not entitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity even though the governor appointed the commission's members and director. Burrus , 546 F.3d at 422 (citing Takle v. Univ. of Wis. Hosp. and Clinics Auth. ,
"To determine if a particular entity is a state agency, i.e. , an arm of the state, courts look at: (1) the extent of the entity's financial autonomy from the state; and (2) the general legal status of the entity." Tucker v. Williams ,
In evaluating an entity's financial autonomy, courts consider "the extent of state funding, the state's oversight and control of the entity's fiscal affairs, the entity's ability to raise funds independently, whether the state taxes the entity, and whether a judgment against the entity would result in the state increasing its appropriations to the entity." Burrus v. State Lottery Comm'n of Ind.,
In Burrus , the "Lottery's complete lack of fiscal reliance upon the state" was plain.
Thus, the first factor strongly indicates that the JJC is not an arm of the state because it operates "independently from Indiana's state treasury." See *741Burrus ,
The second factor in determining whether the JJC is a state agency is the "general legal status" of the JJC. See Tucker ,
Thus, all defendants are county officials who are not protected from official liability by the Eleventh Amendment. Accordingly, Defendants' sixth affirmative defense is insufficient as a matter of law.
E. Conclusion
The Wilburns are only suing Defendants in their official capacity, precluding judicial immunity. Additionally, Eleventh Amendment immunity does not apply to Defendants because they are county officials. Thus, Defendants' fourth and sixth affirmative defenses should be stricken.
II. MOTION TO STRIKE JURY DEMAND
A. Relevant Background
The Wilburns filed this federal action on May 1, 2017, and their complaint did not make a jury demand. [DE 1]. On June 28, 2017, Defendants filed their answer, which did not include a jury demand. [DE 4]. Approximately nine months later, on April 27, 2018, the Wilburns filed their First Amended Class Action Complaint, which did not make a jury demand either. [DE 12]. The amended complaint substituted inter alia the original claims solely on behalf of Z.W. with class action claims on behalf of a "Juvenile Class" and two disability subclasses, all of which Z.W. is a member. [DE 12 at 15]. The two disability subclasses are all members of the Juvenile Class with a disability as defined by either the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act ("IDEA Subclass") or the Americans with Disability Act and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ("Disability Subclass").
The Wilburns filed their Motion to Strike Defendant's Jury Demand on June 6, 2018, arguing the jury demand was untimely under Fed. R. Civ. P. 38(b). [DE 22]. Defendants argue the demand was timely, but alternatively ask the Court to consider its response as a Rule 39(b) motion for jury trial despite untimely jury demand. [DE 25]. Defendants contend that the Wilburns' amended complaint is dramatically *742different than the original complaint such that a jury demand would not have been contemplated before. [DE 25 at 3, 6]. Defendants assert inter alia that a class action is a new issue that justifies a jury trial. [DE 25 at 2]. The Wilburns filed their reply on June 18, 2018, arguing class action allegations did not resurrect Defendants' previous waiver of their right to a jury trial. [DE 26 at 3].
B. Analysis
1. Legal Standard
A party may demand a jury trial by serving the other parties with a written demand within 14 days after the last pleading and filing that demand in accordance with Rule 5(d). Fed. R. Civ. P. 38(b). A party waives a jury trial if its demand is not properly served and filed. Fed. R. Civ. P. 38(d). Yet "the court may, on motion, order a jury trial on any issue for which a jury might have been demanded." Fed. R. Civ. P. 39(b). Courts may grant an untimely jury demand, but only "if a good reason for the belated demand is shown." CSX Transp., Inc. v. Chi. South Shore & South Bend R.R. , No. 2:13-CV-285-RL-PRC,
2. Waiver Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 38(b) and (d)
The Wilburns argue the deadline for filing a written jury demand expired on July 12, 2017, 14 days after the original answer. [DE 22 at 2]. Defendants admit that they waived a jury trial as to the Wilburns' original complaint but argue that the waiver has no effect on the "newly pled facts and allegations" contained within the Willburns' First Amended Complaint. [DE 25 at 1].
As a preliminary matter, the Court notes that Defendant's Answer to the Amended Complaint (the "last pleading") was itself untimely, as it was filed six days after the extended deadline. [DE 19]. However, this untimeliness is not by itself sufficient to constitute a waiver under Fed. R. Civ. P. 38(d). The Seventh Circuit has held that a jury demand filed with a responsive pleading that was 29 days late was timely when no objection to the responsive pleading was filed and the party was not entirely to blame for the delay. See Dasho v. Susquehanna Corp. ,
It has long been recognized that "supplemental pleadings do not extend the jury demand time, except as to any new issues which are raised for the first time by the supplemental pleadings." Huff v. Dobbins, Fraker, Tennant, Joy & Perlstein ,
Here, both the original complaint and the amended class action complaint primarily arise because of the Wilburns' concern that the JJC allegedly has a policy and practice of placing juvenile detainees in solitary confinement. [DE 1 at 10; DE 12 at 5]. Despite Defendants' assertion to the contrary, the original complaint did not refer solely to the treatment of Z.W. while at the JJC, but to the policies governing juveniles at the JJC more generally. Specifically, the original complaint alleged that "confinement to a room [is] a method of 'Value Based Behavior Management' for even minor infractions of JJC rules." [DE 1 at 9]. It also alleged that the JJC had and continues to have "policies, customs, and practices that sanctioned the imposition of punitive solitary confinement of children, including Z.W." [DE 1 at 10]. Moreover, the original complaint claimed that solitary confinement is harming juveniles at the JJC. [DE 1 at 11].
These same factual assertions are included in the First Amended Class Action Complaint using slightly different language. For example, the amended complaint alleges the "JJC's use of solitary confinement is part of the JJC's 'Value Based Behavior Management' of juvenile detainees." [DE 12 at 6]. Furthermore, the amended complaint claims that the "JJC has had and still has a policy, practice, and custom of subjecting juvenile detainees to solitary confinement." [DE 12 at 5]. Notably, the amended complaint also claims that Z.W. was placed in solitary confinement and that "[s]olitary confinement of juveniles causes them harm." [DE 12 at 10]. Instead of using the phrase "confinement to a room," the amended complaint references "Room Confinement" and "Holding," among others. [DE 12 at 5]. Even if these differences were deemed to represent new allegations of facts, new particularized facts do not qualify as a new issue for purposes of a jury demand. See Commc'ns Maint. ,
Finally, the original complaint requested relief for "similarly situated children" under the United States Constitution and the Individuals with Disabilities Act. [DE 1 at 16]. In so doing, the original complaint "put [Defendants] on notice of the underlying facts and basic legal theory...upon which plaintiffs sought relief." AT & T Info. Sys., Inc. v. Favor Ruhl Co. , No.
3. Good Reason Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 39(b)
The Wilburns argue that Defendants have not shown a good reason for their belated jury demand to justify an exception to their waiver. [DE 22 at 4].
*744Defendants, on the other hand, argue that the original complaint lacked any reference to a class action, such that counsel for the Defendants did not anticipate the need for a jury demand. [DE 25 at 6]. In support of their motion under Rule 39(b), Defendants cite Merritt v. Faulkner ,
However, the Seventh Circuit was forced to change that standard in the wake of McNeil v. United States ,
In CSX Transportation , the plaintiff filed an untimely jury demand in a suit for damages due to a freight train derailment.
While the parties here are not "experienced business entities" like the ones found in CSX Transportation ,
Thus, Defendants have failed to provide a good reason for their untimely jury demand as required under Fed. R. Civ. P. 39(b).
C. Conclusion
Defendants failed to file a timely jury demand pursuant to Rule 38(b) in response to the original complaint. Thus, Defendants waived their right to a jury pursuant to Rule 38(d). Defendants also failed to give a good reason for their untimely jury demand. Accordingly, the Court declines to grant Defendants a jury trial pursuant to Rule 39(b).
III. CONCLUSION
For the reasons discussed above, the Court GRANTS both the Wilburns' motion to strike affirmative defenses [DE 20] and their motion to strike jury demand [DE 22]. The Court STRIKES Defendants' fourth and sixth affirmative defenses as pleaded in their answer. [DE 19 at 30]. Additionally, the Court STRIKES Defendants' jury demand. [DE 19 at 32].
SO ORDERED this 1st day of November 2018.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Tashianne WILBURN, and on Behalf of all Others Similarly Situated v. ST. JOSEPH COUNTY JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published